The governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite (PSDB), stated this Tuesday (30) that the accumulated rainfall in the state could exceed 800 millimeters in some regions of the state.
The expected average for the state in April is 160 millimeters, according to the governor. In some areas, however, there has already been a record of more than 300 millimeters of rain, adds the Chief Executive.
Rio Grande do Sul has been hit by heavy rains since last Monday (29). The National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) issued a storm danger warning in the state, valid until next Thursday (2).
There are records of at least two deaths in Rio Grande do Sul as a result of the rain, in addition to road closures. “This is not the time to make trips that are not strictly necessary,” he said. “You are already seeing images of bridges that were taken away, roads broken, and we don’t want to lose lives at this moment”, warned Leite.
In the city of Santa Tereza, 145 km from Porto Alegre, city hall Gisele Caumo caught, on the morning of this Tuesday (30), a person being swept away by the current of the Arroio Marrecão, a tributary of the Taquari River, during the storm that hit the city .
The governor stated that he must meet with representatives from the Department of Education to assess the need to suspend classes in the state.
Rio Grande do Sul's Civil Defense instructed city halls to remove the population from locations at risk of flooding. In the most critical regions, such as Vale do Taquari and Rio Pardo, a task force was sent to support regional coordinators.
The warning about the condition of the rivers is based on rain forecasts until Friday (3).
Crisis Cabinet
This Tuesday morning, the state government called an emergency meeting of the crisis cabinet at the Civil Defense headquarters, in Porto Alegre.
According to the Environment Secretariat, forecasts indicate that rainfall volumes could cause flooding similar to that of November 2023, when Rio Grande do Sul faced one of the biggest floods in history.
Still according to forecast models, the regions of the Caí and Taquari rivers could be the most affected. Both have a large population concentration. In Vale do Caí, four fluviometric stations indicate that the river has already exceeded the flood level. In the Taquari Valley, the greatest attention is on the city of Estrela, where the water course exceeded 20 meters of flooding.
“The time is for alert throughout Rio Grande do Sul for the high volume of rain that should be recorded throughout this week. The state teams, through the crisis office, are in full alignment to take all necessary measures to support the residents of Rio Grande do Sul and the affected municipalities. Our priority at this moment is to get people out of risk areas and guarantee everyone's safety”, highlighted the vice-governor, Gabriel Souza, responsible for coordinating the cabinet's work.
The Rio Grande do Sul Department of Education reported that three schools were damaged and another six had walls fall, there were no injuries. Around 70 schools suspended activities due to problems accessing school transport.
The Autonomous Department of Roads and Highways was called to clear the roads. In addition to state forces, emergency actions have support from the Army and city halls.
Source: CNN Brasil
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